Work accident

If you have an accident at work or on your way to work and subsequently receive medical treatment, there are a few special considerations.

In the event of an accident at work or on the way to work, the responsible employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund will cover all costs of medical and non-medical rehabilitation. In addition, it will cover any financial risk – for example, in the event of temporary incapacity to work with injury benefit or in the event of permanent occupational disability.

Accidents at work are accidents that insured persons have as a result of their insured activity. This does not only refer to accidents that happen during work. It also includes, for example, accidents involving schoolchildren during school hours, accidents involving children in daycare centers, accidents involving students at a state-recognized university, or accidents involving people who have provided first aid after a traffic accident.

What counts as an accident at work?

Commuting accidents

Accidents that occur on the direct route to and from the insured activity are also covered by statutory accident insurance—these are known as commuting accidents. Necessary detours are also insured, for example:

Work accident while working remotely

With the entry into force of the Works Council Modernization Act, the same insurance coverage now applies as for employees working on their employer’s premises.

Employees who work remotely, for example, from home, are now legally covered by accident insurance. Previously, coverage included not only the actual work activities but also so-called “company routes,” such as walking to a printer in another room. In contrast, routes within the home, such as going to get a drink or a snack or using the restroom, were not covered. The legislative reasoning states: “This distinction can no longer be maintained in light of the increasing importance of mobile forms of work.” Accordingly, the law now stipulates that mobile work is covered to the same extent as work performed on company premises.

Another change concerns insurance coverage for routes employees take to drop off their children at external childcare. For employees working on-site, it has already been the case that detours on the way to work to take a child to kindergarten or school are covered. For home-office employees, routes for taking children to care were previously not covered. This has now changed: if employees take a child living in the same household from the home office to an external childcare facility, they are covered for the direct route to and from the facility. According to the legislative reasoning, this is also in the interest of companies, to ensure coverage for their employees under the new forms of employment.
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What to do in the event of an accident at work?

Your employer must report any accident at work that results in you being unable to work for more than three calendar days to the relevant accident insurance provider. You can find out which accident insurance provider is responsible for you from your employer.

You should seek medical treatment immediately. If in doubt, your doctor will refer you to the nearest accident insurance consultant. These consultants are specially qualified to treat accident injuries. You must visit an accident insurance consultant's office if

In the case of minor injuries, accident victims are referred by the accident insurance consultant to their family doctor for further treatment. In these cases, the accident insurance consultant monitors the healing process – for example, through follow-up appointments.

Reporting an accident

It is important that you get back on your feet quickly. We will clarify with the relevant accident insurance provider who will bear which costs and how you can best proceed. You can help us by reporting the accident to us. It is also important that you provide us with as much detail as possible about the circumstances of the accident, the location of the accident, and those involved in the accident. Please contact your personal SBK consultant. You can find their contact details here.

We are here to help

If you have any questions about accidents at work or on the way to work, please contact your personal SBK consultant. We are happy to support you so that you can get back to full health as quickly as possible.